Homemade Peanut Butter

Other nut butters have come to market, but peanut butter remains the most enjoyed and widely purchased nut butter.

Most of us have had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich during our lifetime and maybe even still do. Peanut butter is enjoyed many different ways. One of my favorites is peanut butter with chocolate. There are healthier ways to enjoy this delightful dessert – like substituting peanut butter for almond butter – but lets face it… peanut butter has a unique creamy taste that just can’t be replaced.

Kids like it in the traditional good ol’ pb&j (peanut butter and jelly) sandwich. People who are active, workout, or are athletes use peanut butter as a protein and energy resource by adding it to shakes and protein bars. One tablespoon of peanut butter in a smoothie makes it more satiating and, sometimes, the perfect combination for an amazing taste. If you go camping or on a road trip, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches come in very handy. College students often rely on peanut butter because it is affordable and filling.

After all, peanut butter combines well with so many things. Crackers, apples, celery, ice cream, chocolate, breads, crackers, desserts, spreads, sauces, salad dressing and more. Its a great hearty snack and, although it does have higher levels of fat, it's a protein food that contains fiber. If you need to lose weight it’s advised to consume peanut butter in smaller quantities. On the flip side, it tends to be filling and so you don’t need to eat much. It is also a great addition to different types of sweets from candies, protein bars and cookies, to ice cream.

A good, healthy peanut butter is one of the easiest nut butters to make at home. When processing, peanuts tend to get creamy much faster than almonds, walnuts and some others.

Like with all nut butters, you want to really read the labels and know all the ingredients. When looking for healthiest peanut butter brand, remember the golden rule… less is more. The fewer ingredients in peanut butter the better. I tend to be weary when the shelf life is like forever. It makes me wonder, what did they have to add to make it last that long?

Make an all natural peanut butter

One of my favorite Vitamix peanut butter recipes substitutes regular dry roasted peanuts with honey roasted peanuts. Oh my goodness… just throw 2 - 3 cups of them into a Vitamix and then use the tamper tool to push the peanuts down into the blade and in less then 7 minutes you have fresh, creamy and in most cases slightly warm peanut butter. I make you this promise… do that one time and you will never purchase any kind of nut butter again from the store. My favorite part is leaving a little of the peanuts in the bottom of the Vitamix and then adding a banana and 2-3 cups of ice and making banana peanut butter ice cream. It is so delicious and pretty guilt free considering other options.

Like most other nut butters, if you make your own fresh homemade peanut butter, you can choose to use your desired type of nut, from raw, roasted, honey, or any other of your favorites, and then add a flavoring that you like. Or you can make it plain and traditional which is my favorite type of peanut butter.

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About the Author

Lisa Saremi is health and wellness coach for Limitless-U and blogger for eatnuts.com. Lisa received training as a Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition's cutting-edge Health Coach Training Program on dietary theories, practical lifestyle management and innovative coaching methods with top health and wellness experts.